Chapter 6
Natasha
I scurry out of the bathroom in a daze and find myself entering Joshua’s room.
The nurse is still in there adjusting his machines.
He smiles warmly at me as I stand at the end of the bed, my face is blank and expressionless, and I fall into the chair against the wall as I keep staring at him in shock.
This can’t be true. I don’t believe her.
He frowns and puts his head on the side in a question as he looks at me.
My eyes fall to the floor as I go over the words Amelie has just relayed to me: He’s only with you out of obligation.
He loves me. We made passionate love as recently as Friday.
The nurse smiles and leaves the room and he holds his hand out for me.
“Come and lie with me, Presh.”
My heart stops, I stand and walk to the end of his bed. “Did you sleep with Amelie?” I breathe.
His face falls and he starts to pull the cannula out of the back of his hand.
“Natasha,” he whispers.
“Did you or not?” I cry. He lunges for me and I jump back.
“You’ve been sleeping with her all along?” My eyes fill with tears.
“No!” He shakes his head. “So, she is lying?” I ask.
“Tash, baby. Listen to me.”
“Answer the fucking question!” I scream. “She told me you’re in love with her.” I sob.
He shakes his head urgently. “No, Tash. I’m not. Listen to me.” He rips the cannula out and starts to frantically try to remove the suction things attached to his chest. An alarm from the heart-rate monitor sounds through the room.
“DID YOU?” I scream.
“I love you, Natasha. I made a terrible mistake … It was just once.”
I step back from him in shock. Dear God.
“Tash, listen to me!” He struggles to break free from the machine. “Cameron. Get in here,” he yells.
I turn to the door as adrenaline courses through my body. He lunges off the bed to grab me again but is held back by the wires on the machine that he can’t remove. I dive away from him.
The door opens and Amelie walks in.
His eyes flick to her. “Get out!” Joshua screams.
I step back again. It’s true, she was telling the truth.
I look at her deadpan. “He’s all yours,” I whisper through my tears…
and I run. Joshua dives for me. The machine alarms echo through the room and nurses come running from everywhere.
I duck past them out the door and sprint for my life down the corridor.
“Natasha…Natasha, come back. Get the fuck out of here, Amelie!” I hear Joshua scream from behind me.
“Nataaaaashhhhhha.”
“Where are the fucking bodyguards?” he yells at the nurse.
I run around the corner, dive into the waiting lift and push the button.
I quickly look up at the numbers. Come on.
Come on. The doors slowly close and I run my hands through my hair.
Oh fuck, it’s going up, wrong way. The lift stops at the next floor and two nurses get in.
I step to the back. What am I going to do?
What am I going to do? My heart is beating so hard in my chest. He will be going off his brain, I remember Max told me that security has gone back to his house.
I need to get out of this hospital before they get back or they won’t let me go, I will be cornered.
The lift stops on the next floor and I step out into the corridor.
My eyes shoot around as I look for an exit.
I’m panicked, I just need to get away. I see a sign for a fire exit, the stairwell.
I open the door and start to sprint down the stairs two at a time as I sob uncontrollably.
I desperately need to get out of here. He fucking slept with her and then he slept with me.
After everything we have been through…he slept with her.
I probably have AIDS now or some other STD.
I dry-retch as the thought poisons me from the inside out as I keep running.
I scramble for air as my lungs burn from the exertion.
Finally, I hit the bottom and burst out the door.
Sunlight beams onto my cold face and I feel a wave of relief hit me.
Daylight at last. I run to the road like a mad woman and flag down a cab as I half run in front of it.
“Stop…please…Please, just stop,” I cry. The tears run freely
down my face as I pant in exhaustion.
The cabbie frowns at me and stops. “Get in. Are you alright?” His eyes shoot around as he looks to see who’s chasing me. I dive into the backseat and nod nervously as I run my hands through my hair.
“Where to?” he asks.
I look at him in the rearview mirror and my eyes fill with tears again. Where to? I don’t even fucking know. Away from him…and his… deceit.
Shit. I don’t have my purse. I quickly feel my pockets. I have twenty dollars coffee change from this morning.
My eyes dart around. “How far is the closest McDonalds?” “Two blocks around the corner,” he says flatly with his wrist draped over the steering wheel.
I nod nervously. “Take me there.”
He nods, puts on the blinker and pulls into the traffic and moments later we arrive at my safe haven. I look around frantically as I walk in and my phone rings and I jump.
Joshua… his name lights up the screen. My heart sinks and I start to sob uncontrollably.
Everything I thought I knew is a lie. It’s not real.
I run to the bathroom and put my phone on silent.
It rings again. Oh shit… stop fucking calling me, I sob again.
I burst into the cubicle and throw the lid down.
I sit and put my head into my hands. My foot taps double time as I think.
The phone rings again. I press reject. Fuck, what am I going to do?
My passport and bag are back in the room.
My phone rings again. I instantly reject it.
I stand, turn and vomit into the toilet.
The phone rings again. I press reject instantly. It beeps a text.
Baby. Where are you? It’s not how it looks.
Please. You are not safe alone
I sob into my hands. Not safe, what does that mean?
Nobody could hurt me as much as you have.
Natasha, please.
You have no money.
My lip quivers as I realize the sick truth: he is right. But if I go back, he is going to feed me some bullshit story. Lie some more. Amelie can fucking have him, they deserve each other.
Please, Natasha. I’m frantic.
I love you more than anything
I stand and start to shake my hands. Should I go back? Maybe I should just listen to him? It was just once. I cry out loud as the pain lances through my chest. Once is one too many times, asshole.
Natasha, please tell me you are alright.
Where are you?
I pull my feet up into a fetal position. My phone beeps a message. I look at the screen. It’s Max.
Natasha, it’s me.
Let me come get you
Can I trust him? I put my hand over my mouth as I think.
He texts again.
Where are you?
I will not tell him.
I stand as I exit the stall and start to pace. I catch sight of myself in the mirror. Bloody hell, I look like something from a Halloween movie. Makeup is smeared all over my face.
Natasha, trust me.
You have my word.
Fucking hell. What am I going to do? My hands shake as I put them over my mouth to think. My phone beeps again. Joshua.
Tash, I’m begging you.
Come back.
Let me explain
I grab my head in my hands. How can you explain having sex with someone else?
There is no explanation. The harsh reality is that while I hit rock bottom on the other side of the world, after murdering my father, he was making passionate love to another woman.
A woman he swore he had no feelings for.
A woman who I know he loves and could no longer resist.
A text beeps. It’s Max.
Natasha, listen to me.
He is tracking your phone as we speak.
You need to tell me where to meet you.
I have your passport and ID with me.
Holy shit. He’s tracking my phone. Why does he have to be so damn smart? Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. I shake my hands as my body courses with adrenaline.
I text.
I need to get back to Australia
He replies.
I know, honey.
He has men on the way to the airport.
He’s beside himself.
Are you sure you want to do this?
I text.
He’s been sleeping with Amelie
He replies.
I’m not sure if that’s true.
I text back.
Forget it. I don’t want your help.
He replies.
Meet me at the Greyhound bus station
1716 E 7TH Street, Los Angeles
Take out your sim card
and put it in the trash.
Holy crap. Sim card in the trash. What do I need from my phone?
I quickly run to the counter and ask the attendant. “Have you got a pen, please?”
She smiles and nods. “Sure.” Her eyes scan my face and I can see her brain ticking at my frantic appearance.
I quickly take it and copy the address from Max’s text onto the back of my hand.
And write down Bridget and Abbie’s phone numbers.
I hand back the pen. “Thank you.” My stomach fills with dread as I remove the sim card and put it into the trash.
I then turn and, running on total autopilot, walk straight out the door and hail a cab.
Joshua
Natasha’s haunted eyes search mine, the door opens and we both look in its direction. Amelie walks in.
“Get out!” I scream.
“He’s all yours.” Natasha cries as her face falls.
I lunge for her as she dives out of the way. “Natasha… Natasha, come back.” She bursts out of the door and runs down the corridor.
The heart-rate monitor starts to scream as the nurses burst through the door. “Get the fuck out of here, Amelie.” She looks at me in shock. “Where the fuck are the body- guards?” I scream at the nurses.
“What the hell is going on with you? You’re acting crazy,” the nurse snaps.
“Unhook me…please hurry.” I glare at Amelie. How could she do this to Natasha?
“And so she runs again,” Amelie whispers as she folds her arms in front of her.